What Not to Flush

What should you flush? Only human waste and toilet paper.

Not...Wipes, Diapers, or Feminine Hygiene Products

Please never flush wipes, diapers, or feminine hygiene products, even if they are labeled “flushable.” These products do not disintegrate in water as quickly as toilet paper and often cause clogs in public sewer mains. Put these items in the trash, not the toilet.

Not...Medications

Please do not dispose of expired or unused medications in the sink or toilet. Wastewater treatment does not completely remove drugs and traces will end up in the San Francisco Bay. Our community offers many safe disposal options for drugs that protect you, your family, and our waterways.

Combine pills and capsules and seal in a plastic bag. (Recycle the empty bottles in your home recycling cart.) Leave liquids and creams in their original containers (black out personal information) and seal in a plastic bag.

*Controlled drugs include sleeping pills, pain killers, behavioral drugs, cough syrup with codeine, and other drugs with great potential for abuse or addiction (see complete list).

Not...Sharps

To protect the workers who handle our trash, it is illegal in California to put medical “sharps” in the trash. Never flush sharps because they can injure wastewater workers. Collect syringes, lancets, and Epi-pens in an approved sharps container (sold at pharmacies and available online). Safe disposal options include:

Many common products contain hazardous chemicals that can pollute our groundwater, creeks, rivers, and bays. Visit the websites below to learn how to safely recycle or dispose of household hazardous waste.